Annuar pushes for 3-party cooperation, says can win 149 seats

By MT Webmaster On Mar 16, 2021

(FMT) – Former Barisan Nasional secretary-general Annuar Musa is continuing to push for Umno, PAS and PPBM to work together in the next general election, saying their alliance could see them win 149 seats.

In an interview with TV Pertiwi last night, Annuar said cooperation among the three Malay parties would also prevent three-cornered fights.

The federal territories minister also said he was confident that all issues and seat disputes among the three parties can be resolved by their respective presidents.

He said 149 of the 222 parliamentary seats in the country are Malay-majority areas.

“If we do not split, we have the potential to win all of them. So the winning formula is already present in today’s government,” he said.

Previously, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party will not cooperate with PPBM in the next general election, though Perlis and Sabah Umno have taken an opposing stand.

On seat allocations, Annuar proposed a base formula where Umno is given priority in defending all the 55 seats it won in the last general election, even if the incumbent has since defected to PPBM.

He said, however, this did not need to be set in stone, and that the presidents of both parties can negotiate on the matter.

“There are (also) 11 seats in which Umno garnered more votes than PAS, while there are six seats in which PAS won more votes than Umno.

“So PAS can win 25 seats and Umno can win 66 seats. There are still seats remaining, and there are other seats that can be considered for PPBM. What is certain is that unity ensures success, this can still be worked out.”

Annuar also said there are seats in which PPBM won in GE14 but have since lost through defections that Umno can contest, like those held by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s faction.

He said negotiations could be held on who should be the prime minister as well as quotas for ministers’ posts, and that this was a better option than fighting each other and winning fewer seats in the end.